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Optical and Electronic Materials and Nanomaterials

Dr. Bartha's program involves the characterization of novel nanomaterials for use as magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents. In particular, the characterization and development of methods to detect nanomaterials with greater sensitivity using a mechanism called chemical exchange saturation transfer. The use of this mechanism provides opportunities to utilize nanomaterials to report physiological conditions such as temperature and pH in biological systems.

Systems with dimensions in the nanometer range are studied by molecular simulations and analytical theories. The systems are modeled on atomic scale using different levels of description that range from quantum chemical to empirical in order to capture features defining the properties of the systems. The properties that are studied are phase transformations, conformational changes of biological molecules and other polymers, solvation, reactions in clusters/aerosols, disintegration mechanisms of charged nanodroplets, diffusion of drugs.

The Denniston group's research focuses on modelling particles and dynamic processes in complex fluids. They study systems involving micro- and nano-scale objects, soft colloids or polymers for instance, in a complex fluid such as a liquid crystal. An important aspect of their work is the development of models and multi-scale computer simulation techniques to investigate these systems.

Prof. Fanchini's activity encompasses the preparation of carbon-based and organic nanomaterials and their use for the fabrication of optical and electronic devices , including as thin film transistors and solar cells. Materials that have been recently investigated include carbon nanotube networks, graphene nanoplatelets, conducting polymers and polyaromatic molecules. Specific characterization and modeling activities focus on spectroscopic investigation of electronic and solar cell devices during operation and involve the use of photothermal deflection spectroscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometruy, solid-state electron-spin resonance, Kelvin-probe spectro-microscopy and near-field optical techniques.

Prof. Lyudmila Goncharova is an expert in surface and interface characterization utilizing high and medium energy ion scattering elastic recoil detection analysis, nuclear reaction analysis. Scientific objectives in the group are to perform quantum dot preparation using ion implantation, as well as high-resolution ion profiling of thin film multilayered structures with focus on the interfaces, and a development of a more comprehensive model of interface structures that can be used in the design of interfaces for electronics, photonics and related applications. Additionally the broader technological impact of this work will result in improving ion beam techniques for hydrogen detection and profiling to study novel materials for solar cell energy applications.

Dr. Jiang’s research interests and activities cover a wide range in solid and applied mechanics and materials engineering. One of her projects is focused on investigating the size-dependent properties of piezoelectric nanostructures in energy harvesting. Dr. Jiang’s other research topics include investigating the mechanical and electrical properties of conductive polymer nanocomposites by developing an efficient multi-scale modeling approach; investigating the mechanical properties of carbon nanotube, graphene, and the electromechanical coupling behavior of nanoscale dielectric materials for applications as actuators and sensors.

Prof. Lagugné-Labarthet's scientific interest includes the development of high spatial resolution optical spectroscopy for nanomaterial characterization, the design, modeling and fabrication of nanostructured plasmonics devices for high sensitivity sensing. More recently he is involved together with Robarts researchers in the spatial control of neuron growth using surface modification. He is involved in multiple collaborations within UWO and with other Canadian and European colleagues.

Dr. Mittler's Laboratory for Photonics of Surfaces and Interfaces focuses on three major themes. One is evanescent microscopy, both fluorescence and scattering, to study ultra thin films, cell adhesion and biofilm formation on surfaces: here novel (polymeric) materials can be tested for biocompatibility, foulingor antifouling effects. The second theme addresses fabrication of functional surfaces to detect particular molecules (e.g. cancer marker) or creates a particular cell response. This involves gold nanoparticles and localized surface plasmon spectroscopy, self-assembled monolayers or Langmuir-Blodgett films but also nano-structuring with holographic methods. Last but not least, new fundamental sensor platforms based on waveguide technology are developed.Dr. Mittler works highly interdisciplinary and has various cooperations especially when biological topics are addressed or new synthetic materials are involved.

Professor Sham’s research covers the general area of the chemistry and electronic properties of materials and the development and application of synchrotron radiation, especially the interplay of electronic structure, materials properties and synchrotron techniques. His areas of expertise include nanomaterial synthesis with emphasis on C and Si based materials as well as metal oxides, surface and interface, photoemission, x-ray absorption, photon-in photon-out spectroscopy (x-ray emission, x-ray excited optical luminescence, resonant and non-resonant inelastic x-ray scattering via the x-ray and the Auger channel) and x-ray microscopy. His recent interest concerns with nanostructure assembly and proximity effects, light emitting phenomena from composite nanostructures in the energy and time domain, microbeam analysis of tissues, energy transfer dynamics in nanostructures and industrial materials for drug delivery, Li battery and fuel cell applications.

Peter Simpson's group researches the production of silicon nanocrystals, or quantum dots, by a variety of fabrication methods. These structures exhibit light emission unlike bulk silicon, and we investigate the underlying physics of the light emission process as a step toward device engineering. Prof. Simpson also researches the application of positron annihilation as a technique to investigate open-volume defects in materials, and the use of 'defect engineering' to control or modify material properties.

Chemistry and materials research under extreme conditions, especially at high pressures, represents a prevailing interdisciplinary frontier area with profound implications in new functional materials ane clean energy. In particular, the Song group is specialized in the investigation of molecular structures and materials properties under extremely high pressures using optical spectroscopy and synchrotron techniques. The recent research thrusts focused on several main themes, such as pressure-morphology tuning of one-dimensional nanomaterials, investigation of energetic materials, and development of hydrogen storage materials.

Prof. Workentin specializes in the design and synthesis of photochemically and electrochemically responsive organic functionalized materials. The main goal is to develop a physical organic chemistry understanding of the structure-function relationships and factors that control chemical reactivity on these materials to aid in the building of new architectures for potential applications.